HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL CAMP REPORT: Viera Hawks Eye Another Deep Playoff Run In 2017
By Alan Zlotorzynski, Assistant Editor // August 3, 2017
Hawks face six playoff teams in first 8 games
ABOVE VIDEO: Space Coast Daily’s Alan Zlotorzynski was live from the Viera Hawks camp. Viera and the rest of Brevard County hit the practice field this week for their first day of preparation for the upcoming 2017 season.
BREVARD COUNTY • VIERA, FLORIDA – Led by head coach Kevin Mays, the Viera Hawks are coming off another successful season that saw them win two more playoff games.
While the Hawks didn’t reach the state title game as they did in 2015, they were able to win nine games and have won eight or more for four straight seasons heading into 2017.
Since 2013, Mays has led the program to a record of 36-11, which includes a 6-3 mark in the post season.
Viera returns 23 seniors for the upcoming season including team captains Brandon Mays, Quinton Richard, Miguel Rodriguez and Max Lawson.
Brandon Mays, who recently committed to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point to play football led the team with 107 total tackles last year and averages nearly a dozen per game. Rodriguez simply hunts opposing quarterbacks and registered a county leading 26 sacks last season.
Richard had 444 receiving yards and four touchdowns as a junior and figures to be one of QB Tim DeMorat’s go to guys this season. Max Lawson is a quiet leader but will be a force on the Hawks offensive line at the tackle position.
ABOVE VIDEO: HUDL Highlights from Miguel Rodriguezes’ junior season.
He plays defensive end as well. At 6-feet-four inches tall and 245 pounds, Lawson possesses an impressive reach and look out if he gets his hands on the opposing player first.
The Hawks schedule is not an easy one. Playing in Class 7A District 6, the Hawks will face six playoff teams in their first eight games, including a state champ.
They begin on the road at Vero Beach who finished the 2016 regular season undefeated and won two playoff games. Their home opener is against the Raiders of Rockledge who figure to be very improved this season.
The Hawks will then travel to the Washington D.C. suburbs to face Gonzaga, a team who defeated Viera at home last year 31-19.
Viera returns home to face two straight playoff teams from a year ago in Osceola and Merritt Island and then takes to the road to play the Class 4A state champ, Cocoa.
The Hawks final four games are at Melbourne and Martin County before closing out the season at home vs. South Fork and Heritage.
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